Man Utd confirm positive tests, cancel training; Brentford game in doubt

Manchester United are in discussions with the Premier League over postponing their fixture away to Brentford on Tuesday evening after being forced to shut down their training complex due to positive Covid cases.

United said on Sunday that a “small number” of individuals among the first-team players and staff had returned positive lateral flow tests.

Those positive cases have now been confirmed by positive PCR tests, resulting in United shutting down their Carrington training complex for 24 hours “to minimise risk of any further infection”.

In a statement on Monday afternoon, United added: “The club is in discussion with the Premier League whether it is safe for Tuesday’s fixture against Brentford to continue, both from a Covid infection and player preparation perspective.

“Team and staff travel to London will be deferred pending the result of that discussion.”

The positive Covid cases were first recorded at training on Sunday, where United’s players were undergoing recovery sessions following Saturday’s 1-0 win at Norwich.

Negative tests had been returned before the game at Carrow Road.

Following the positive cases, training was adjusted on Sunday to individual and non-contact outdoor sessions for those who returned negative tests.

Speaking earlier on Monday, Thomas Frank, the Brentford boss, said he was continuing to prepare his side for the visit of United amid the uncertainty.

“We are planning to play the game,” Frank said. “That’s what we are focusing on. We can’t control anything else.

“I think it needs to be a significant amount of Covid cases before the game can be cancelled but to be fair I’m a little bit in doubt when it is enough.”

Tottenham had their games against Rennes and Brighton postponed last week after eight players and five staff members tested positive, forcing the closure of their training ground.

There have also been cases reported at a number of other clubs, with fears that more are to come over the winter.

“It’s a very tricky situation,” Frank said. “I think it’s very important the Premier League and all of us are following normal society rules and restrictions. That’s very important.

“And then if we can make it very clear what the rules are to cancel a game, that would be good. But I think all that is just speculation and taking the focus away from what we all want and that is what’s happening on the pitch.”

Brentford have been hit by Covid themselves, with striker Ivan Toney and defender Ethan Pinnock both missing games after testing positive.

Toney is due out of isolation ahead of Tuesday’s fixture and Frank said he was optimistic he could feature, but Pinnock is expected to miss out again.